(CNN) — Nearly three years after the Costa Concordia cruise ship ran aground off Italy’s Giglio Island, the remains of the final victim have been recovered.
The remains of Russel Rebello were found in a cabin in the wrecked ship, which is currently in Genoa, where it was moved to be scrapped, Italy’s state-run ANSA news agency said Monday.
Thirty-two lives were lost in the January 2012 incident, when the ship ran aground with more than 4,200 passengers aboard.
The remains of all the dead had been found except for Rebello’s.
Rebello’s brother, Kevin Rebello, confirmed the news on Facebook.
“I promised my family that I will bring back home my brother some day,” Kevin Robello wrote, noting that 1,025 days had passed since the disaster.
Russel Rebello’s body was found on Deck 8 in a cabin, his brother wrote.
“I don’t have words to express,” Kevin Robello said. “Just my pain, my tears, my heart pounding harder and my body trembling.”
The wrecked Costa Concordia became part of the landscape near Giglio Island for years, until it was refloated in July of this year and eased into a dry dock in Genoa for salvage.
The lengthy process of dismantling the wrecked ship is expected to take two years.
More than 80% of the Concordia will be recycled or reused, including copper wiring, plumbing pipes, kitchens and some of the plastic room fittings that can be repaired.
The remaining 50,000 tons of steel will be melted down and sold at the market price to be used to make construction girders, cars and even other ships.
